Monday, February 27, 2006

Another mushy post from me. Kya kare? I can't help it and I cannot be blamed if these days fall so close to each other ;-).

Twenty-nine years ago, a baby was born. Then it didn't know that after 29 years it'd become a man so wonderful, a man so patient and a man so caring. It didn't know that it was made for me and I wasn't even born then ;-). The baby grew up in Andhra Pradesh never knowing that its gal was to be born in Karnataka :). Later the young boy was in various places in Andhra. The young man he became, he studied in far away Ranchi, did his first job in Delhi, even went to US meanwhile. This was when fate planned to bring him nearer to his destined gal. He came to work in Bangalore. But still it was almost 2 years after he was in Bangalore that he met his gal, that too through an arranged marriage :). How strange can life get?

I made it pretty obvious already, so you know who I'm talking about. Yup, today is Sriram's 29th birthday. Last year I didn't have a blog to write anything about him. Even if I did, wonder what I'd have written about him 'cause I was still getting adjusted to him and to being apart from my parents. But today I've known him for about 1.5 years. Time has flown fast :).

I remember about 2.5 years ago, one of my friends asked me what kind of a man I'd want to marry. I said all the usual words "Tall, handsome, caring, fun to be with" :-D. Yeah, I wanted him to be tall and there was a specification too - min 5'8". Why? Because I am 5'5", plus I used to wear platforms of atleast 2", so that made it 5'7", plus 1" so that he looks taller than me :-D. And I had met a handsome but serious guy before in the so called girl-seeing ceremonies and that was precisely the type of guy I couldn't marry.

But there were other things that I didn't tell my friend. I am fond of ragging people and pulling their leg. I wanted a guy who could take my jokes in his stride. I knew I was capable of taking jokes, but would he? Again I had met another guy who wasn't able to take a leg-pulling from me and had resorted to nasty comments. I also wanted a guy who I would be able to converse intelligently with and never run out of topics. Thats whats life about, isn't it? A long conversation :). What more, I wanted a guy who could understand my passion for music and could sing very well (I'm pretty sure you'd be saying "arey what all more does this girl want!!"). And I got Sri.

As I said, I got Sri. I got a guy who is 5'10". A guy who doesn't judge me by appearance (don't know if he'll change later :-p). Doesn't care whether I wear a saree, salwar kameez or jeans. Doesn't lose his temper no matter how much I try to rile him up (that can be frustrating ;-) :-D). Is patience-personified no matter how fussy I am or how angry :). Is understanding whether its PMS time or not ;-). Is helpful, is kind, is caring, is concerned. Is adventurous and is fun to be with. A person who loves life, just like me. Who cracks jokes on my expense, but always takes the ragging I do to him in the right spirit :).

But (yes, there has to be a but ;-) :-D), in the last point I was disappointed, Sri can't sing a song for rupee's worth. He always gets the tune and the lyrics wrong. So whenever he sings, I have to think atleast for a few minutes to figure out which song he's singing :-D. But (again), he listens to any song I sing and I do have a habit of bursting into a song now and then :). He supports me in my singing and encourages me to practice. And thats more than enough :).

Since a past couple of days, he's been quipping on how he's becoming old. And he's only 29. Hmmmm since I'm only 3 years younger to him, I really wonder what that makes me :-p :-D. Anyways, today is his birthday and yup here's a wish all dedicated to him...

Happy Birthday Sriram!

A life full of love and joy,A heart full of youth and dreams,May this birthday bring youA multitude of new esteems!

Little moments of pleasure,Many seconds of new wonders,May this birthday bring youBright days and no thunders!

Sorrows vanished forever,Happiness in lots many ways,May this birthday bring youHundreds of more birthdays!!

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Hey wait!! I'm not going away. I'm not taking a break from blogging (though I dunno what you'd call not posting for 15 days :-p). I know I haven't posted for a while and that was because of a lack of ideas. For once the talkative me was stuck on what to post. Moreover the fact that I was busy and couldn't take time of about 2 hours for blogging on a workday also helped the cause a bit ;-). The main problem was anyways that I didn't know what the heck to blog about...

I thought I'll blog on my daily routine of working from home which I've gotten used in about 10 months now. But it sounded too boring. Make breakfast -> Say tata to Sri as he leaves for work -> Eat breakfast -> Check mails -> Go for my regular workout -> Check mails some more (after all what other work is there for a s/w engineer ;-) :-D) -> Take my bath -> Start work -> Have lunch -> Continue work until Sri lands home. Not much to write. Maybe I'll think of making it interesting and will blog in detail someday (Do I hear a set of "Oh No"s? :-D).

I also thought of posting a poem. Have a vague idea in my mind for a poem. Its very nice, but you can't really push it. Poems have to flow from thoughts and vague formats are just not sufficient. Especially when you are blocked for a post, the ideas just don't want to come! Don't you pity poor me? :(.

I saw Rang De Basanthi last weekend and thought of posting about it. Even told a friend that I'll probably post about it. But there are gazillions of Rang De Basanthi reviews already on the gazillions of blogs :(. There's nothing I have to say that those don't already talk about :(. But yeah, I do want to say it was fun sitting in the theatre and watching it. For a small town like Lexington, the theatre was house-full and we had students shouting, whistling and cheering. At one point, it felt like I was back in a theatre in India :). Also another point is that my faith in Aamir is back. After Mangal Pandey, I must admit I was apprehensive. But Rang De Basanthi just shows why I have been a fan of his since Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, since 1988 :). I have never shifted loyalties for 18 years (!!) :). I have heard some reviewers saying he's too old for this kind of a role etc, but there's nobody else who could have played it this good. Dil Chahtha He, though a story of 3 friends ended up being an Aamir movie. But Rang De Basanthi is no way an Aamir movie. The way he shares the screen with so many new actors is amazing to say the least and the new young actors have lived up to it :). Ok thats it, no more about RDB ;-).

Hmm again I thought I'll post a few pictures and write a post on the few favourite things I love about and around my apartment. But its been cloudy the whole week and I haven't even been able to take the pictures. Just how bad, can my bad luck get? ;-). After all these explanations (more like excuses) if you still haven't felt pity for me, then what can I say? Well, all I can say is that I'm sorry :(. But am posting now, amn't I? What are you cribbing about? :-p.

Finally coming to the title of the post, the "I'll be back!!" stands for I'll be back in India in the month of May for the whole month of May :-D. This finally is the post I've been waiting for :-D. Our tickets have finally arrived yesterday. We'll be leaving US on April 28th and reaching India by Apr 30th and we'll be leaving India on May 29th :). I know its still a few months away, but for a person who has waited to go back to India from Nov 2005, whats a mere couple of more months. Now I can't wait for the wait to finish :).

But it certainly won't be a vacation. We both need to get our Visas stamped. Have a whole lot of trips planned. Have our gruhapravesha planned. We need to spend some time with our both set of parents. A lot to do in a short while :(. Previously, we thought we might be going only for 3 weeks, but somehow things have worked out and we are getting an extra week. I guess this is the truth for an Indian living outside the country. You look forward so much to going back to India, but the reality will be that it will be for a short time. But atleast, you get that short time {sighs}. Once you get back, the waiting starts all over again :(.

Right now, I'm so looking forward to it. It'll be exactly an year since I came here. So I'll be celebrating my anniversary of coming to US in India, see the irony :-D. Oh God, I've so much to do, hopefully everything will go fine and as planned :). There's still so much of shopping to do and what not to buy. So much to plan and think about. So many tick marks :-D. Have I done this? Tick. Have I done that? Tick. Oh my God, I haven't done that. No tick ;-). Phew!!

Meanwhile, your faithful reporter Deepthi will keep updating the progress whenever she can. For now, over and out! :-D.

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Yup one year gone. Poof!! I still cannot believe it, but it has happened. Has it actually been ONE WHOLE YEAR? 365 days have gone like they were moments :).

One year, in which we've travelled to 3 different countries - South Africa and Mauritius on our honeymoon and later came to US. One year, in which we have done bungee jumping, trekking, white-water rafting and ski-ing. One year, where we've even been apart for about 1.5 months when Sri was sent here to US on a project and I had to wait in India to get my Visa. One year, in which we have changed 3 houses, shifted to another country and Sri has changed his job once! Yup, one very eventful year.

One year, in which we have watched so many movies - English, Hindi and Telugu, that I have totally lost count. One year full of countless ice creams, millions of french fries and 100s of chocolates. One year, in which we have gone for a walk daily after dinner. One year of innumerable talks about various topics. One year of total emotional and physical bonding..

One year, in which we have shared many wonderful moments of laughter. One year, in which there have been many instances of bouts of crying from my side and consoling from his. One year, in which we have become the best of friends. One year, in which I've learnt to know him better and hopefully, he has learnt a little bit about me. One year, in which we have become very close to such an extent that we can't bear to be apart. One year, in which we have shared everything, from laughter to lives, from memories to a marriage so wonderful..

Yup, if you still haven't guessed it by this time, today is our First Wedding Anniversary!!! One year gone and its so unbelievable!! Hip Hip Hurray!! Hurray!! Hurray!!

I still remember last year, during dhaare time, tears flowed from my eyes. My mom had tears in hers as well. It was a sad and happy moment for me. Sri spoke through his eyes and told me not to cry with just a look. I still remember his reassuring smile :). And he has kept the silent promise he made to me that day. He has kept the vocal promise he made to my parents that day of taking care of their daughter. My parents were sure about their son-in-law that day, but their trust in him has increased ever since :).

One year, has brought some changes in me. I have become more responsible and considerably a good cook thanks to my mom's recipes. For a person who thought cooking is grating coconut/rolling chapathis, I have come a long way ;-). Also, I can talk to Sri about anything, be it some political talk to some emotional anguish I'm going through. And he can talk to me about anything :). In one year, it looks like we have accomplished a lot. And yup, I'm more than satisfied with the way things have gone and are going :). No regrets at all. None.

Since we've come to US, I have been miserable several times about missing my parents. We have also missed Sri's parents' gruhapravesha. Yup, these have led to some fights. But thats life - sweet and spicy :). After all, fights lead to making ups later ;-).

There's still a long long way to go. One year is a huge step, but there are so many such huge steps to take. Many hurdles to cross, many more adventures to live through :-D. I can already see us growing into a budda and buddi together, maybe bungee-jumping again in our 50s :-D.

"Love is the flower you've got to let grow." - John Lennon

Its growing! Its growing!! Its definitely growing.

Happy first anniversary Sri. Hope you enjoyed the first year of wedded bliss (:-D) as much as I did. The only song thats playing in my head right now is a duet "At the beginning" by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. The song video is online here and the lyrics are:

We were strangers starting out on a journeyNever dreaming what we'd have to go throughNow here we are and I'm suddenly standingAt the beginning with you

No one told me I was going to find youUnexpected what you did to my heartWhen I lost hope you were there to remind meThis is the start

Life is a road and I want to keep goingLove is a river I wanna keep flowingLife is a road now and foreverWonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turningI'll be there when the storm is throughIn the end I wanna be standingAt the beginning with you

We were strangers on a crazy adventureNever dreaming how our dreams would come trueNow here we stand unafraid of the futureAt the beginning with you

Life is a road and I want to keep goingLove is a river I wanna keep flowingLife is a road now and foreverWonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turningI'll be there when the storm is throughIn the end I wanna be standingAt the beginning with you

I knew there was somebody somewhereLike me alone in the darkNow I know my dream will live onI've been waiting so longNothing's gonna tear us apart

Life is a road and I want to keep goingLove is a river I wanna keep flowingLife is a road now and foreverWonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turningI'll be there when the storm is throughIn the end I wanna be standingAt the beginning with you

Life is a road and I wanna keep goingLove is a river I wanna keep going on....Starting out on a journeyLife is a road and I wanna goingLove is river I wanna keep flowingIn the end I wanna be standingAt the beginning with you.

Yup right at the beginning with you, my love :). I certainly couldn't have said it better :).

About Me

I'm a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother. I'm a traveler, a singer, a writer, a poet, a gardener, a photographer, a cook, an amateur astronomer and an adventurer. I have also acted, sketched and danced a bit. These words are an integral part of who I am. Yet, they don't define me. I am so much more and I know I can be so much more :).

I follow traditions, but do not conform. I am modern, but don't get into every fad that comes along. I have an opinion on everything, so much that some people may call me opinionated. I am rarely temperamental, sometimes judgemental, most of the times plain mental (;-) :-D) and always sentimental :). But I am what I am - so damn! :-p.

Right now, I am facing the roller coaster ride of life with full gusto. My motto is to live life to the fullest in its complete sense. I also believe that life is too short to waste away and that each and every memory be it sad or happy, small or big is worth saving and remembering :). When I die, I want people to remember me as a woman who was multi-talented, multifaceted and a did-it-all ;-).

"Specialization is for insects" ;-) :-D.

About my family

My hubby Sri is a thorough sweetheart and I believe, my soulmate. He complements me in ways that I thought were not possible in this world :). This blog is a dedication to the adventures we have been through so far and the adventures we have to face, 'til death doeth us apart :).

Talking of adventures, we are on our biggest one right now! Our daughters Snugli and Sunny are the magic in our lives and make each day of our "parenthood" a thrill. They are spunky and sweet, giving a whole new meaning to "ups and downs". Wanna know more? How about reading the posts on the blog? :) ;-) :-D.

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